I have had something on my mind for days now, I have been thinking about labor and delivery – when a woman gives birth. I have been thinking about this because I believe we are in a time and season where we have the opportunity to give birth to some things that God has promised us.
During labor, pains come and go; there are times of extreme pain and times of complete peace and no pain. This can make your body think its crazy – pain one minute, peace the next.
I have experienced this during my spiritual life as well. There will be moments when I know that I know that God is moving on our behalf and we are about to see it all manifest. Then, during the same season, there are times of great pain and everything looking like nothing is happening at all.
I was thinking about this one day last week and God reminded me of something; it is during the times of extreme pain that the doctors and nurses will yell ‘PUSH!’ You push during the pain, not during the times of no pain. Actually, it is the pain itself that is evidence that something is happening, something is trying to come to birth, and something is coming down the birth canal. Therefore, we understand in the natural, a woman pushes during the times of pain.
During this time, every woman I have seen in labor wants to quit. As silly as it sounds, they simply want to quit. Why? Because the pain is too great; however, it is the pain that indicates the coming birth.
In thinking about all this I decided to study the scripture found in Isaiah 66:9 that tells us that God will not bring to a time of labor and not bring forth delivery. In the King James it says; shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth?
I was surprised to find the meaning of the word ‘birth.’ It means to break in pieces, to break down, to rend violently, wreck, crush, and to be shattered. The word ‘forth’ means to bring forth, to be born, and day of birth.
This was so enlightening to me; I can’t tell you how many times I have gone through a season of challenge and I come to a place where I feel broken, I feel crushed and shattered. It is during those times that I cry out to God and He brings forth delivery…but before He does I come to a place of complete brokenness. I have never understood this…until now. I can see from scripture that, just as a woman giving birth to a baby, we too give birth and in doing so there is a time of breaking, crushing and feeling shattered.
Just as it is with the woman in labor, it is only how it feels – her body only feels torn and broken, this is what we must realize when giving birth to something spiritually. It is only a feeling that you can’t take it anymore. It is only a feeling that you are crushed and broken. It isn’t reality. Reality is the very fact that you are feeling the pain and the pressure is evidence that something is fighting to come to fruition.
The pain itself is living proof that something IS happening. The pain itself is proof that something is coming down the birth canal.
Just as the woman in labor, we have a part to play in this; with each pain, PUSH! With each disappointment, PUSH! With each time you feel you can’t go another moment, PUSH!
Several times in scripture I read that God’s people cried out to him like a woman in labor. When the pain came, they cried out to God. When they thought they couldn’t endure, they cried out to God. When they thought they couldn’t push one more time…still, even then, they cried out to God. What happened? They gave birth to what they believed for…every single time.
I’m told the second child is easier, because you know the purpose of the pain. It is an indication to push. You know that this is all normal and everything will be fine, you embrace the pain and work with it instead of against it…you push.
So it is in the spirit. Work with the pain…and PUSH! Work with the feeling of being broken and crushed and PUSH! When the pain comes, PUSH! Something is coming down the birth canal and you are about to hold it in your arms. Are you feeling pain today? Then PUSH!
